WOW!!Previously
only available as a lavish triple vinyl set and download, this 2CD set collects
a long-gestating epic from the mind of Canadian power-pop architect Bill
Majoros (“songs representing the jukebox of my mind” be declares) and his crafty
cohorts in the Foreign Films! ‘’Shadow
in the Light’ leads the charge with youthful memories and pop savvy. ‘The Sun
Will Shine Again’ draws threads to the glorious descent of Mott the Hoople’s ‘All
the Young Dudes’ and mid-tempo, harmony-laden ELO ballads like ‘Can’t Get it
Out of My Head,’ all anchored by a rhythmic nod to Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You.’ ‘Junior Astronomer’s Club’ adds psychedelic
flourishes like sitar drone and spacefaring guitar leads alongside xylophone
and elegant strings, adding the Beatles, Jellyfish, and Frank Zappa to the
growing recommend-if-you-like roster. The Prince-ly funk-pop of the title track
describes a girl who captures her emotions in the songs she spins, leaving her
somewhat hindered when trying to connect with the present. The crashing ‘Broken
Dreamers’ and ‘State of the Art” echo the Memphis chime of Big Star and
southern jangle of R.E.M. The dubiously titled ‘Lucky Streak’ is a theme song awaiting
the perfect spy movie. ‘Teardrop Town’ is a slinky film-noir vignette casting
familiar streets as an alluring but deadly siren, sung as a duet between Majoros
and Kori Pop.The package includes the
short story ‘Emily Blue and the Star on the Moon,’ revealing the thoughts of
the character at the heart of the songs. Although isolated, Emily’s inner life and
sense of wonder at everyday beauty sustain her, chronicled by her hopeful ‘A
Letter (To Our Future Selves).’ ‘Northern Love Song’ recalls the Beatles’ ‘Getting
Better,’ fusing George Martin’s heart-swelling string arrangements with Phil
Spector’s wall of sound and a nimble Brian May-styled guitar solo.Next up is Emily as a young woman in ‘Fall of
the Summer Heart’. Chapters including ‘You Were My Summer Sun’ and ‘The
Loneliest Night’ tap Majoros’ affinity for the Beach Boys, Burt Bacharach,
Moody Blues and Zombies as they recall the bitter and the sweet of summer romance.
Carl Jennings’ bass during ‘Emily’s Dream Sequence’ nods to Marvin Gaye’s ‘Inner
City Blues.’ The thrills culminate in the side-long “Fall of the Summer Heart,”
a pop symphony in eight movements. Like the delicate “Girl by the River,” the
song-cycle mourns a loss while celebrating its memory. In sum, this ambitious
work offers a charming and evocative trip for hours of escape to the golden age
of pop radio and bedroom turntables.” – Illinois Entertainer“As
an early adopter of Bill Majoros and his magnificent Foreign Films adventures,
they continue with the masterpiece that is ‘The Record Collector’.A long time in the making, previewed over
that period by the excellent ‘Record Collector’ side releases and Majoros's
superb additions to Steve Eggers's releases with The Nines. The culmination is this album in all its
intended glory. It's pop, but not as we necessarily know it, a journey into all
things of that ilk. This has certainly been worth the wait. The album
veers off into all directions, but keeps everything melodic, inventive and so
damn catchy. Just listening to Side 1 alone, pop rock, prog and orchestral rock
are taken in and the journey just gets better and better. ‘Shadow In The Light’
could be Marc Bolan, ‘Junior Astronomer's Club’ could be Orgone Box and the
beauty of the weeping ‘She Reveals Her Heart’ cannot be over emphasised.Kori Pop's vocals add a great deal to Side 2.
Her joint vocals on ‘Teardrop Town’, which you can imagine Nick Cave writing
and her lead vocal on ‘Land Of A 1,000 Goodbyes’ which is all Lisa Mychols and
benefits from Pop's piano playing. ‘Broken Dreams’ is great 80's power pop,
‘State of The Art’ is so Jon Auer Posies. Lucky is all jangly psych pop.Side 3 is particularly Beatlesesque, notably
Lennon - the exception being the haunting, ‘A Foolish Symphony’ on which Kori
Pop takes lead vocal duties on a wonderful arrangement. Side 4 is much slower
and more moody, reminding me of great singer songwriters such as John Howard
and Colin Blunstone.On Side 5,
the arrangements are varied, but very 60's Bacharach, ‘Emily's Dream’ is a
cracking slab of psych featuring dialogue from Steve and Chantel Eggers. ‘Summer
Fades’ is a fine closer. Side 6 closes this extraordinary affair with the
almost 13 minutes of the psych wonderment that is ‘Fall Of The Summer Heart’.Overall there is a lot of music here. It
feels very much like one of those great singer songwriter albums of the 70's
when budget wasn't a problem. However, the variance never lets the album become
boring. I must also mention the superb arrangements of Wim Oudijk.” – IDontHearASingle.com
(review of the triple vinyl format).A “jukebox
of the mind” indeed Bill!GREAT!!

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